NPC’s Guide to Conquering the 2D World

A/N— I uploaded the wrong chapter yesterday T-T

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I felt myself floating—a fleeting, surreal sensation, like the exhilarating drop from the peak of a rollercoaster.

But just as quickly as it began, it ended. My body—or rather, my soul—crashed back down.

It was terrifying.

I snapped my eyes open, taking slow, deliberate breaths. My surroundings were alien yet eerily familiar. I was seated in a classroom filled with Japanese students. They looked strange—neither entirely 2D nor fully 3D, an uncanny blend of both.

I glanced down at my hands and frowned. They were unnaturally pale, almost ghostly. Before I could make sense of it all, my attention was drawn to the teacher at the front—a strikingly beautiful young woman delivering a lecture.

Her words were in Japanese—a language I, as a Canadian, normally shouldn't have understood. And yet, I comprehended everything perfectly.

The System's doing?

My thoughts were chaotic, tangled, and fragmented. The abrupt transition from one body to another left me disoriented. I took another deep breath, scanning the room. My gaze lingered on people who should only exist in fiction, now sitting around me, alive and breathing.

Hayato. Hikigaya. Yui. Yumiko. And even Totsuka.

I blinked, then stared at Totsuka again.

Cough…

Shaking my head, I became aware of something hovering in my mind—a presence, or perhaps an option. Instinctively, I reached out to it, as if clicking a mental button.

A cascade of memories flooded my mind.

I didn't relive them but observed them unfold, like watching a reel of someone else's life. Mere seconds passed, yet they were enough to steady me.

My thoughts settled. My breathing calmed.

I was completely in control once more.

Now, how should I go about this...?

System!

I called out silently, and a virtual screen materialized in my mind—

[Dimension— Oregairu.

Mission— ???

Sub-Missions— ???

Main Path— Lust

Karma Points— 0]

Very helpful.

I couldn't help but comment sarcastically.

It seemed there were hidden prerequisites I needed to fulfill before unlocking the missions.

How annoying.

I wonder why I was even entertaining this System at all. Perhaps no matter how much I feigned calmness, there were things I needed to fix.

No matter the cost, no matter the methods.

Pushing aside those thoughts, I waited for the lecture to end, pondering my identity.

The body I now occupied belonged to a random mob character from Class 2-F.

Aomine Daiki.

Not charming. Not athletic. A complete NPC.

I was average in height, around 177 cm, but other than that, there was nothing remarkable about me. Even worse, this guy had no friends—a complete loner. It was as if he didn't exist.

I wouldn't be surprised if he was randomly "generated" by the System. His family? Non-existent. An orphan surviving on government subsidies.

Well, at least I could act freely without worrying about consequences.

…

The Japanese language arts teacher, Shizuka Hiratsuka, wrapped up her class and sighed deeply before leaving. I wondered why.

Not that it mattered.

I left my seat and quickly followed after her. I couldn't risk her getting preoccupied with something else.

Sensing my presence, the beautiful teacher turned and looked at me curiously.

"You are...?" she asked, her voice carrying a mature charm.

"It's kind of sad you don't recognize your own student, Sensei." I saw her eyebrows twitch, so I quickly added, "Aomine Daiki. Sensei, I have a request."

"If it's about class, you can wait until the last period. I have another lecture to give," she said, clearly pressed for time.

"It's not about studies," I replied.

"Then be quick, my student."

Her tone softened slightly, though I could tell she was still in a hurry. Looks like she was sweet to anyone who wasn't Hikigaya.

"I'd like to switch clubs," I said.

"Hmm? Which club are you in? And why?"

"I'm currently in the basketball club, but I'm being bullied by the seniors because of my family situation. Reporting them wouldn't help, so I was hoping you could recommend a peaceful club with fewer members."

The truth was, I wasn't bullied—just ignored. But lying was necessary.

Hiratsuka-sensei's expression shifted slightly at the mention of bullying. It was clearly a sensitive subject for her. She dropped her 'be quick I have to leave' attitude.

"Is it unresolvable?" she asked with a sigh.

"Report their names and submit the Club Change Form later today. Do you have any preferences? Sports? Literature?"

"Any club that might help me make a few friends," I said, feigning a pitiful tone. Even I was surprised by how convincing I sounded. Hiratsuka-sensei, however, looked genuinely moved.

"A-Alright. I'll look into it," she said before spinning on her heel and walking away.

I returned to class and sank into my chair, observing the lively scene before me. Yumiko and her friends were buzzing around Hayama's group. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Hikigaya glaring at them, while Yui stole shy glances at him.

Their dynamic was fascinating.

Hikigaya's fractured leg from middle school had turned him into the cynical nihilist he was now. That car accident? Yukinoshita's family was involved. The dog he saved? It belonged to Yui.

That was their connection.

Now how should I as an outsider forcefully insert myself in this dynamic?

The Service Club.

Forming a connection through a request was an option but humans were fickle, there was no request coming to my mind that would allow me prolonged contact with them.

The only option was to join the Service Club.

Originally, I had no intention of involving myself with the main cast but the System seemed to know me too well.

It had locked my missions for a reason.

With Lust as my main path, I was ready to seduce background characters or flirt with random girls in the school. Why bother with the convoluted relationships of the main cast?

Yumiko was obsessed with Hayama.

Yui was hung up on Hikigaya.

Yukino? A walking minefield.

And let's not even talk about Hiratsuka-sensei.

But now, the System was making it clear.

I, Aomine Daiki, would have to seduce the main cast of Oregairu—one way or another.

And if that was how the System wanted to play then so be it.